Bangladesh’s participation in the T20 World Cup 2026 remains uncertain as the ICC has asked the BCB to take a final decision on playing the competition in India within the next 24 to 48 hours. BCB president Aminul Islam has not lost hope and is still counting on ICC’s intervention to secure Bangladesh’s place in the event.
During a board meeting held on 21 January, the ICC gave BCB one more day to take its decision on participating in the T20 World Cup. Most members supported the removal of Bangladesh for refusing to travel to India. Scotland will take their place as the highest ranked team outside the tournament.
Sports Advisor to Bangladesh Government to brief Bangladesh players on World Cup situation in Dhaka
According to a report in Cricbuzz, Bangladesh players will be directly briefed about the World Cup situation on Thursday, January 21. Government Sports Advisor Asif Nazrul will meet the national cricketers to explain the latest developments surrounding the team’s participation.
The meeting is scheduled at 3:00 pm at Hotel Intercontinental. The players have been asked to take part as the government seeks to clearly outline its position after the International Cricket Council rejected the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s request to shift matches to Sri Lanka.
It is expected that Asif will also listen to the players’ views on playing in the World Cup. He will discuss their concerns, understand their expectations and explore possible steps to resolve the ongoing uncertainty.
I do not want to put pressure on the government – Aminul Islam
Aminul Islam said that he asked for additional time from the ICC to once again consult the Bangladesh government. The BCB president said he did not want to put pressure on the government and reiterated that Bangladesh considers India unsafe.
“I last asked for time from the ICC board to talk to our government. They said it was a legitimate issue, and gave me 24 or 48 hours to contact them. I don’t want to put pressure on the government. We know India is not safe for us,” Aminul was quoted as saying by ESPN Cricinfo.
He said, “We stand by the stand that we want to play in Sri Lanka. I know the ICC has refused us but we will talk to the government once more. I will inform the ICC about the government’s response.”
I am expecting a miracle from ICC – Aminul Islam
Aminul said that he is expecting a miracle from ICC to keep Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup. He said that both the players and the government support participation, but there remain concerns about the safety of players in India.
“I’m expecting a miracle from the ICC. Who doesn’t want to play in the World Cup?” Aminul said.
“Bangladesh players want to play the World Cup. Bangladesh government wants Bangladesh to play the World Cup. But we don’t think India is safe for our players. When the government takes any decision, it doesn’t just think about the players, but thinks about everyone.”
According to ESPNcricinfo, BCB had only one representative at the ICC board meeting, with Aminul Islam attending on behalf of Bangladesh.
He clarified the board’s position during an online discussion, but the ICC rejected the idea of moving Bangladesh to another group by swapping places with Ireland or Zimbabwe. The report also said that Sri Lanka was against adding a separate team to their group.
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